Thursday, March 11, 2010

NWT Frozen Eyes Photo EXHIBITION - Lens Factory, Toronto

CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

The Frozen Eyes Photographic Society wishes to announce an exhibition of Northern student photographic work from youth in the communities of the Northwest Territories. Represented are Fort Liard, Deline, Fort Smith, Fort Simpson, Yellowknife and work from the Arctic Winter Games of 2008.

During the Arctic Winter Games of 2008 held in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, four young people were selected from submissions of work by students in the Territory as part of the cultural component of the Games. Based on the success of this event, the Frozen Eyes Photographic Society was formed to bring photography to the remote communities of the Territory. Many of these communities are accessible by prohibitively costly air travel and winter or ice road.

The majority of the photographs displayed are taken by aboriginal Dene youth. It is the mandate of the Society to visit these remote communities not simply to mentor youth in photography, but in the hopes that the acquisition of new skills, not readily available to them, it will give the confidence to tackle other skills they may not have considered.

It is also a program of discovery. While experienced photographers are on hand to offer technical and aesthetic instruction, it has been found that a program of self directed learning is the most effective. The photographs in this exhibition truly reflect the vision of the students to their environment rather than work accomplished with a mentor standing over their shoulder.

The Frozen Eyes Photographic Society wishes to acknowledge the generous support of BHP Billiton and the Northwest Territories Arts Council without whom this, and future work, would not be possible.